“Don’t forget he still had good support from his chairman and he was still in a good contract.

“To leave in this way is strange.

“Only five or six games ago he had turned the season around and now this.

“It’s the chance for the club to bring in a new face now though.”

Solano knows the feeling when it comes to managers leaving Newcastle. He had been on Tyneside just weeks when the man who signed him, Kenny Dalglish, was shown the door.

And he outlasted Ruud Gullit, Graeme Souness and Glenn Roeder during his two stints at St James’Park.

Solano said: “I didn’t know much about the cut-and-thrust style of English football when I arrived here.

“But I quickly began to learn when Kenny was sacked!

“It’s difficult when a manager leaves for the players.

“But you have to remember to be at your best. No matter who the manager is you must try hard for the fans.

“That hard work starts against Burnley again on New Year’s Day.

“It’s really all about picking up three points now.”

Pardew leaves United 10th in the Premier League table and seven points adrift of a European place.

When asked what the ambition should be for the remainder of the campaign, Solano said: “I always say you should go for it when it comes to the top six. And of course there’s still the FA Cup. Newcastle need to be hungry for any trophies available and this is another chance.

“It will be tough at Leicester but there is no reason why Newcastle can’t push on now in both competitions.”

United are understood to be keen to hold on to Moussa Sissoko, and the midfielder would be a key part of Newcastle’s success if they were to climb the table.

Solano said: “Sissoko is like a machine. He is powerful and keeps going until the end of each game.